The Secret Life of a Web Content Manager

By Aimee Hagedorn

Contributing Writer, WordBiz Report [May 14, 2003 issue]

Web Editor. Sounds self-explanatory. Everyone knows what an editor does, right?

Wrong.

Whenever someone asked what I did for a living, I replied, "I'm the Web Editor for HealthSouth." Invariably, the response would be either "Oh, you design the Web site" or "So you're a Webmaster."

Behind the Scenes

Of all the positions that make Web sites work, Web Editor or Web Content Manager may be the least visible. As the Web editor for one of the largest health care companies in the U.S., my mission was to improve, implement, and manage content.

In doing so, I had both the first and last say regarding all new content. I received content, proofread and edited it on paper. I sent it to the designer for HTML coding and layout. When complete, I previewed it on the staging server and made changes in the content management system before the page moved to production for public viewing.

Covert Operations

Like a private investigator, I closely monitored the site to ensure content was updated and refreshed. I tracked down and apprehended errors of all sorts - from misspellings and incorrect grammar and punctuation to broken links and inconsistencies in style. Because I learned basic HTML, I surreptitiously corrected many of these errors myself.

In addition, I spent hours surveilling other Web sites. The quest for new and better ideas, tools, and content compelled me to analyze each site I visited. My reconnaissance often concluded in developing new strategies for our site, maximizing the resources of existing content vendors, or contracting with new content vendors.

Not only was I an editor, but also a writer. The scope of my works ranged from the extensive to diminutive: 20-page patient education modules, feature stories, section intros and teasers, B2C email messages, navigation buttons.

Mastering the Mystery

Now that the duties of a Web editor have been demystified, here are a few clues to help you master the mystery:

· Surf the Internet. A lot.

Critically review other sites and compare to your site. Determine best practices in style and functionality and discuss with your colleagues. See a visual or interactive tool you like? Chances are it's from an external content vendor. Identify potential content sources and how they can enhance your site.

· Surf your own site. A lot.

Constantly scan your site for ways to improve functionality and user interface. Implement ideas you found from other sites. Identify content needs and determine how they should be fulfilled.

· Acquire HTML skills.

Basic HTML is a handy skill for Web editors. Being able to edit in the content management system is both efficient and effective. You can ascertain what works best on the page from a visual and aesthetic standpoint without bothering the designer.

· Know your content vendors.

Understand how their resources are deployed on your site and determine if the site is maximizing the vendor's potential.

· Expect to wear many hats.

One day you're an editor and writer, the next you're a coder or information architect. Take the initiative to develop and discuss content, navigation, and interface strategies. Successful Web editors are detail-oriented, adaptable, and resourceful.

· Subscribe to relevant eNewsletters.

Business and the Internet are dynamic. Industry-specific eNewsletters keep you abreast of developments in your field. Skill-related eNewsletters (such as WordBiz) offer ideas that may help improve both your site and yourself.

Aimee Hagedorn previously served as the Web Editor of HealthSouth. She now has her own business, The Write Words of Palm Beach.

May not be reprinted without permission.